Feeder for fiber breakers



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,498

' G. L. RICE ET AL FEEDER FOR FIBER BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 S'Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,498 I G. L. RICE ET AL FEEDER FOR FIBER BREAKERS Filed Feb. 25, 1927 SSneetS-Sheet 2 Ivwe 7150726- GeomelBjlCe $7 J0me]. ZU/zficomb- Aug. 21, 1928. G. L. RICE ET AL FEEDER FOR FIBER BREAKERS Filed Feb. 2a, 1927 5 sheets-sheet s 1,681,498 G. L. RICE ET AL FEEDER P 'R FIBER BREAKERS Aug. 21, 1928.

- Filed Feb. 25, 192'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 GemZ geZ/{Biw w w ZIazzz'e 1w Aug. 21,1928. 1,681,498

G. L. RICE ET AL FEEDER FOR FIBER BREAKERS I Filed Feb. 23, 1927 5 Sheets-Shet 5 b" o m #[nvevfim G607" eZRicd @LOZZZGEZU Zkficomb Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

ilffl'ilifl .QTATES rarer caries.

GEORGE L. men AND LOUIE E. wrII'rooMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLInoI's, ASSIGNORS TO INTERNATEOIIAL nanvnsrnn GDMPANY, A: CORPORATION on new JERSEY.

FEEDER FOB; FIB R BREAK RS.

Applicationfiled February 23, 1927. Serial No. 170 100.

This invention relates to a sliver handling machine and more particularly to a sliver feeder for fiber breaking machine.

In cordage and twine mills, the raw fiber a or fibrous plants, such as sisal and the like,

are received in bales. These bales are separated or torn apart by hand and the fibrous material is thrown mai'iually onto a conveyer mechanism which leads to a first breaker, said machine tearing apart and decorticating thefibrous plants and combing them out into a relatively thick, loose sliver, which emergesfrom the discharge end of the machine, there to be formed into a pile. These piles are usually cylindrical in form with the sliver coiled in spirals, so that the pile can easily be unwound without resulting in a tangle.

' These piles from the first breaker are thence moved to a second breaker which duplicates the combing and drawing action of the first breaker, but makes a more thorough job of it, the sliver resulting from this second breaker being relatively smaller, and more finely combed. A conveyor mechanism is usually employed to feed the piles from 'the first breaker into the second breaker. Difficulty has been encountered in lifting the slivers from their piles onto the feeder for the second breaker becausethis first sliver is very loose and as a result the same easily breaks when being. elevated from the floor onto the breaker. These breaks may result from the pulling action of the feeder, or because of the weight of the sliver alone, the sliver, because of its looseness, being unable to stand the strain of these forces. It is, therefore, desirable'that a feeder be provided which will efficiently handle these loose slivers and feed them to the second breaker without disjointing or breaking these sliversin the handling process.

Accordingly, theobjects of this invention are to provide an improved apparatus, as 4:: well as a new method, for handling and feeding slivers to a breakeryto provide a feeder which w'ill'have a maximum capacity and will feed from a plurality of piles simultaneously; to provide such an apparatus e embodying an improved guiding means'for accurately directing the plurality ofslivers into the breaker; to provide an improved shield structure for all of the operative parts to prevent injury to attendants, and as to keep the fibers out of the driving parts;

and, lastly, generally to improve feeders andmethods of feeding in this connection, to the; end that slivers may be efliciently and expeditiously handled without disointing or breaking them.

Briefly, these desirable objects are achieved in the feeder of this invention, embody ng a main longitudinally arranged eeder conveyer which discharges at one end into a spout fordirecting the slivers onto the second breaker. The other endofthis' conveyer is formed into a camel back and functions as a means for lifting slivers from a pile adjacent said end; of the conveyor. On opposite sides of the mainconveyer are arranged a. plurality f laterally disposed elevators or conveyors, also with camel backs, each lateral conveyer serving to lift and feed a sliver from a pile on the floor adjacent each lateral conveyor. Guiding members are arranged atthe confluence of each lateral conveyer with the main conveyer in a manner properly to direct the slivers. onto the main conveyer. Suitable shields are provided to enclose the driving connections for the conveyers'to preventinjury to attendants, as well astoexcludethe fibers from these parts. The camel back formation of each conveyer functions to support the slivers while they are being lifted from the piles ontov the main conveyor, and as .a result the slivers, even though loose, cannotbeconie broken or disjointed.

Referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been shown,-

Figure l is a general plan view of the improved feeder, a portion of the second breaker being shown in association. therewith; y

Figure 2 is aside elevational view of the feeder; V

-Figure end of the feeder remote from the breaker;

Figure 4 is an end sectional view taken along the line 4L4: of Figure 1 when looking-in the direction of'the arrows; and

l igure is a side elevational, skeletonized view, with the conveyors removed, to illustrate the driving parts.

The frame of the improved feeder comprises spaced end members 10, tied together by transversely disposed rodsfll and longitudinally disposed rods 12. The frame is generally rectangular in shape, witheach 3' is an elevational view of that member being transversely arranged out wardly from each-corner of the rectangle. Each member 10 is formedas an integral casting andembodies an outwardly and up wardly inclined portion 13, these portions reaching to a point a little belowthe middle. p,

These zontal table, later to be described, and longitudinally arranged between the members The members 10 are suitably cross braced'byint'egially cast portions 16. There is thusprovided a low pointat the mergence of the portions 13 and 14:; an intermediate point or hump at the mergence between 'the portions 1 l'and 15; and a high point at the end of'the portion 15 adjacent to and substantially in line with the table to be described.

The table mentioned is *providedby ar rangingangle iron bars 16 longitudinally along the inner upper ends of the members 10. These barscarry wooden sill pieces 17. Another "angle 'bar '18, reversely disposed however, is backed against the sill pieces, and all *of 'themember-s 16, 1 7 and 18 are made "fast to the members 10 by bolts 19,-as shown in 'Figure' l. -Arranged at spaced intervals along each side of the machine between the end pieces 10 are frame members 10 substantially identical in "all, respects with the-end member-s10, except that instead of resting on the floor, they are supported by andconnected to the longitudinal tierods '12. (See 'FiguresQ and 5.) Of course, it is to be understood that the angle bars 16, 18, and sills 17 are connected to the upper, inner ends of these intermediateframe members 10in thesam'e'manner as has been described in connection with the mounting thereof on the end members 10. Downwa'rdly'bowed, cross pieces'QO extend transversely between each "opposed pair of the frame members 10 and 10, said pieces 20 being connected by countersunkrivets'21 to the angle bars 18, as shown in Figure 4. Thus 'is completed what may be called the longitudinal, central table structure.

The frame members 10, remote from the discharge 'or breaker end of the machine, carry longitudinally disposed castings '22. Ari-opposed pair of these-castingsis Sprovided,'a's shown in Figure 5, 'these castings being 'identical in I all respects and embodying upwardly inclined sides, as shown.

At each side of the machine tie-rods 23 are longitudin ally arranged between the members 10, 10 adjacent the upper ends thereof. Similarly, are "provided tie-rods 24 and25to connect and strengthen theintermediatepoints of the castingslO and 10-.

Arranged on the tie-rods 28, 24, midway between the members-10 and 10on each side of the machine,uare brackets 26 having the samegeneral outline or Jcontour as the memtransverse :shaft 27, carrying a sprocket wheel 28, around which is a chain 29, said chain also being trained around another sprocket wheel 30ron-;a:shaft 31 of the breaker, generally indicated by the opposed rollers llhi-s shaft 27 carries a pair of spaced sprocket wheels -83, as'bes't shown in Figure a, each of-said wheels operating an endless sprocket {chain 34L. These chains extend longitudinally along the central table part ofthe machine and are additionally trained:around sprocket Wheels 35 (see Figure '5) on a shaft 36 ournale'd at the upper end of the imachine :remote from the breaker. This'same end of the machinealso carries another :but lower shaft 37 a and sprocket wheels 88, around which the chains PA also run. These lastwmentioned shafts 36 and 87 are iidlers. The'chains 3%lare generally indicated in Figure 5 by Ythe-dashzlines, and from ithis :showing, it will be clear that they are endless. These'chai'ns have attached .to their links, closely. arranged, cross slats forming a main longitudinally running conveyor 89, :the endsof the slats, as seen in Figure 4,slidablly resting-on the angle iron bars 18.

The shaftQT, it is to be noted, additionally :carries fast thereon adjacent each end, a beveligear 40,'each:meshing with a bevel pinion 41 fast on ashaft42, therebeing two such shafts, one on each vsidefof the main conveyer -'39, as.shown in Figures 4 .and 5. These :shafts 'pass thru and are journaled in the frame imembers 10 and 10, .and the brackets 26 on each side of, .the machine. Similarly, .an intermediate .shaft 43- extends longitudinally a long each side of the machine thru all of the )members 10, 10-and 26. A third 'shaft '44 :extends thru. these members below the shafts 43 .at each side, as shown. These last two'mentioned shafts are idlers. Betweeireachframe member 10 and 10 andbetween thetwo center members 10 on each-side of theimachine, these shafts 42, 43 and 44 carry sprocket wheels '45 adjacent these several frame members in such a manner that these sprocket wheelsiare arranged insets dying :in .thesame Verticalfplanes, as can be seen in Figure 5. -Gh-ains 46 are trained around each set of sprocket wheels, and these chains have attached to their links, cross slats forming separate elevators or conveyers 47, there being in theembodiment illustrated, three :such elevators on each side of the machine. ,All-of=these elevators .are endless: and, of course, follow the; contour of the frame pieces 10, 10 in the camel back Inn no i

. from the breaker.

formation shown. The brackets 26, heretofore mentioned, function as slat supports, as

' will be obvious.

shield strips 49 arranged at each side of the main 'conveyer 391, said shields being continued, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, along the sides of the, elevating'part of the main conveyor atthat end of the machine remote A't thissame end of the machine, the corners arerounded off and covered by shields 50, as shown. Guide members in the form of stationary of rotatable posts 51 are mounted on the strips 49 adjacent each conveyor or elevator 4L7, at a point with respect thereto, which isclosest to the discharge endof the" machine, for a purpose later to be made clear. The posts: 51 for the cndmost conveyer or elevator 47, that is, those adjacent the breaker, are provided with shields 52 which terminate in a tapered spout or funnel 53, said spout being in a position to feed between the rollers 32 embodied in the breaker.

In the operation of'the improved feeder,

the shaft 27, as seen in Figure l, is drivenfrom the breaker by means of the chain 29. In this manner the chains 34: are driven to operate the main, longitudinal, endless con .veyer 39. Similarly, by means of the gears 40, the shafts l2 are oppositely rotated to operate the sprockets and chainsfor moving each of the endless elevators at? toward:

the main conveyer. I s j Piles of slivers I, represented in Figure 2, are moved in place adjacent each elevator 47 and at the end of the main conveyor 89. These piles, having come from the first breaker, are such that the slivers are loose and not very well'knitted together; An

operator feeds the free end of the sliver from each pile P onto'the adjacent elevator. The slats of these elevators are so constructed that they will best engage the slivers and elevate them onto the main conveyer, as indicated generally by the arrows in Figure 1. The posts 51' function properly to guide the slivers onto the main conveyer. The

, shields 48, 4:9 prevent the slivers from'entangling and wlnding adjacent and between jointed because of their inherent looseness and weight. As the height of each pile decreases, the camel backs, due to their inelination toward each adjacent pile, will, of

course, haveto feed a longer free length of sliver, but the inclination of each camel back will oifer greater resistance to the longer sliver part and thus increase its effort toward preventing breakage, as will beobvious. In practice, it will be preferableto move the main, conveyer at a somewhat slowerspeed than the side eonveyers or elevators, as 18 indicated in the embodiment shown by the difference in size of the sprocket wheels and the gears 40 on the drive shaft 27. The slivers move along the main conveyer 39 in the direction ofthe arrows and into the funnel or spent 53, which functions properly to direct these slivers between the rollers 32 of the secondbreaker.

It must be appreciated that the invention, one illustrative embodiment thereof having herein been disclosed, achieves all of the desirable objects heretofore recited, and that the same is relatively simple in construction and operation. It, also very materially expedites the feeding operation, preventing sliver breakages in theprocess of handling. The machine also has a maximum capacity, as all sides thereof, except the discharge end, are put to use. I

It is the intention hereinto cover 'all such changes and modifications of the invention which do not depart from the spirit and scopev thereof, as indicated in the subjoined claims.

What We claim as new is; v

1. 'In a sliver feeder for breakers, the com 'bination of a frame, a conveyer thereon lead- 3. In a sliver. feeder for-breakers, the combination of a frame, a conveyer thereon leading to a breaker, an elevator for raising a sliver from a pile onto the conveyor, said elevator being inclined to support the sliver while elevating the same, and means for driving said conveyor and elevator from the breaker. i j v.

v 4-. In a sliver feeder for breakers, the 00111 bination of a frame, an endless conveyor thereon including a. substantially horizontal portion leading to'a breaker and an inclined elevator portion for raising a sliver from a pile onto the horizontal. portion, said inclined portion acting to support the sliver while elevating the same,- and aspect for directing the sliver froin the horizontal pertion into the breaker. t

'5. .A feederfor breakerssaidfeeder comprising a longitudinallydisposed main conveyer leading to a breaker, and a transversely disposed upwardly inclined elevator for feeding a sliver onto the main conveyer.

6. A feeder for breakers, said feeder comprising a longitudinally disposed main con prising a longitudinally disposed main con-' veyer leading to a breaker, and a plurality of transversely disposed, inclined elevators on each side of the main conveyer for feeding slivers thereto.

9. A feeder for breakers, said feeder com prising a main conveyer including an iiiclined elevator at one end thereof, and a series of right angularly disposed, inclined elevators for feeding slivers onto the main conveyer.

, 10. A feeder 'for'breakers, said feeder comprising a mainconveyer, and a plurality of opposed pairs of inclined elevators arranged at a right angle to said main conveyer and oiiopposite sides thereof for elevating and feeding slivers thereto.

11. A feeder for breakers, said feeder comprising a main longitudinally disposed conveyer leading to a breaker, and a transverse elevator formed with a CI 1Tl6l back to sup port a sliver while feeding the same onto the main conveyor.

12. A feeder for breakers, said feeder c0mprising a inain longitudinally disposed conveyer leadingt-o abreaker, and a transverse elevator formed with a camel back tosupportslivei' while feeding the same onto the main conveyer, the top of said elevator terminating adjacent the side of the main conveyer and lying in substantially .thesame horizontal plane therewith.

3. A feeder for breakers'as defined in claim 11 in which the main conveyer and elevator are endless.

14-. A feeder for breakers, said feeder veyer embodying an inclined elevator atone end, transversely arranged camel backed elevators at the side ofthe main conveyerv for supporting and elevating slivers onto the main conveyer,-' and shield members at the sides of the main conveyer and at the sides of the elevators.

15. A feeder for breakers, said feeder comprising'a main longitudinally disposed conveyer embodying an inclined elevator at one comprising a main longitudinally disposed. con

end, transversely arranged camel backed elevators at the side of the ,main conveyer for supporting and elevating slivers onto the main conveyer, shield members at the sides of the main conveyer, shield members' at the sides and between the elevators, and, guide members mounted on said first mentioned shield members for properly directin slivers from the elevators onto the main conveyer,

1 6. A feeder for breakers, said feeder comprising a main longitudinal conveyer leading to a breaker, an inclined elevator transversely disposed with respect to. the iiiain conveyer and communicating therewith and a guide inember cooperating with the elevator properly to direct material onto the main conveyer. I I I p 17. A feeder for breakers, said feeder comprising a main longitudinal conveyerleading to a breaker, an inclined elevator transversely disposed with respect to the main conveyer and communicating therewith, a shield member alongside the main conveyer, a shield member alongside the elevator, and a guide member on said first mentioned shield adjacent said last mentioned shield. I

18. A feeder for breakers, saidfeeder com-- prising a main longitudinal conveyer leading to .a breaker, a transverse, inclined elevator communicating with the main -c0nveyor, guiding means for the material nioving from the elevator to the conveyer, and a spout at the discharge end of the conveyer associated with. said guiding means.

19. A feeder for breakers, said feeder coinprising a longitudinal conveyer leading to loo a breaker, transverse, inclinedelevators associated with the conveyer, a shaft having connections for driving the main conveyer, and connect ons from said shaft for driving the elevators.

20. A'feeder for breakers,said feeder comprising a longitudinal conveyer leading to a breaker, transverse elevators associated with the conveyer, and means for driving said conveyer and elevators,-saidmeans.driving the conveyer at a slower speed than the elevators. j

21. The combination .with a breaker, of a feeder therefor, said feeder comprising a frame carrying a longitudinal conveyer and a transverse, inclined, communicating ele-- vator, a shaft onsaid frame connected to drive said conveyer and elevatoiyand means for driving said shaft from the breaker.

22. A feeder for breakers,said feeder com} prising aframe, an endless longitudinal conveyer vmounted thereon, an endless camel back transverse elevator carried by the frame to communicate With the conveyer, a-shaft carried by the frame, and connections from the shaft for drivingsaid conveyer and elevator. g

23. A feeder for breakers,said feeder comprising a main conveyer leading to a breaker,

and means for simultaneously elevating slivers to said conveyer from a plurality of piles arranged alongside and at one end of said oonveyer, said means embodying means for constantly supporting the slivers during'elevation thereof to prevent breakage of the slivers.

24:. The method of feeding a sliver to a raised conveyer leading to a breaker, which method comprises elevating the sliver from a pile on the floor adjacent the conveyer and constantly supporting the moving portion of the sliver substantially thruout its length during elevation from the pile to the conveyer to prevent its breakage.

25. The method of feeding slivers to a raised rectangular conveyer table leading to a breaker, which method comprises simultaneously elevating a plurality of slivers from piles arranged at the sides ofthe conveyer table, and constantly supporting the moving portions ofsaid slivers substantially thruout their lengths during elevation from the piles to the conveyer table to prevent breakage of the slivers.

26. The method of feeding a sliver to a raised conveyor leading to a breaker, which method comprises elevating the sliver from a pile on the floor adjacent the conveyer and constantly supporting the free suspended moving portion of the sliver thruout substantially its length during elevation from the pile to the eonveyer and supporting it with an increased force as the pile lessens in height to impart to such lengthening moving part of the sliver an increased resistance tending to prevent its breakage.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

GEORGE L. RICE. LOUIE E. WHITCOMB. 

